A tragic incident unfolded in New South Wales’ Central West, where a rail worker lost his life following a bridge collapse caused by a collision with a “cherry picker” truck.
Emergency teams labored intensely to rescue the 34-year-old passenger trapped in the wreckage. Despite their efforts, the worker was pronounced dead at the scene, highlighting the tragic severity of the accident.
The 38-year-old driver of the truck was fortunate to escape the cabin without sustaining serious injuries.
Acting Superintendent John Walke described the scene as challenging for the emergency responders. “The situation required the use of cranes and other equipment to safely navigate the bridge and extract the vehicle,” he explained.
This distressing event serves as a somber reminder of the unpredictable dangers present in such industrial settings.
“It’s a very unfortunate and tragic result.”
Both men were Sydney Trains workers.
SafeWork NSW has been notified.
Emergency services were called to Inch Street in Lithgow following reports of the truck crash about 8.50am.
Officers responded to find that a ‘cherry picker’ had hit the bridge, causing it to collapse.
“We’ll be supporting not only our own staff but our people across the railway who will feel this loss and working as we investigate the cause of this accident,” Sydney Trains Chief Executive Matt Longland said.
A recovery operation is still ongoing as emergency services continue to try and safely move the bridge and remove the truck.
Part of the investigation into the cause will examine the driver’s speed and whether there was adequate signage on the bridge.
